1998 Land Rover Range Rover — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,560 MOT tests, the 1998 Land Rover Range Rover recorded a 77.2% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 24.5% of the time, so this is 1.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (9.9%) and suspension (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, catalyst emissions and track rod end — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 332 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.6% in the 0-30k band and 23.8% in the 150k+ band, a 10.1-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 22.8% of the time against 22.9% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: emissions & environmental was flagged on 30.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.3% in 2021 to 20.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 9.9% | 450 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.3% | 424 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.1% | 413 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.6% | 393 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 265 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.0% | 228 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 332 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 284 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 208 |
| 4 | Anti-lock braking system | 206 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 180 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 150 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 30.4% | 1,387 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.1% | 1,235 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.9% | 1,133 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.7% | 806 |
| 5 | Tyres | 16.1% | 733 |
| 6 | Steering | 13.5% | 617 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 44 | 13.6% |
| 30-60k | 134 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 445 | 22.5% |
| 90-120k | 926 | 22.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,236 | 22.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,738 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,350 | 22.8% |
| Petrol | 2,206 | 22.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,242 | 24.3% |
| 2022 | 1,054 | 23.0% |
| 2023 | 908 | 21.7% |
| 2024 | 743 | 23.5% |
| 2025 | 613 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Range Rover
On a 1998 Range Rover, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (9.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Suspension (9.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Body, structure & corrosion (9.1% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1998 Land Rover Range Rovers pass their MOT?
77.2% of the 4,560 1998 Land Rover Range Rover MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Land Rover Range Rover?
Brakes, recorded in 9.9% of tests, followed by suspension (9.3%).
Does the 1998 Range Rover get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.6% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,560 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.